Gaining social media success is not unlike building a good scent: the key to both is layering.But while the perfect combination of lotions, perfumes and powders can allure and attract, too much can drive people away in a fit of coughing and sneezing. Social media marketing works in much the same way.

Your presence on each platform must serve a unique purpose, contributing to your brand’s "fragrance" as a whole without overpowering. Let’s start with the shower gel, and work our way up to the perfume!Your websiteYour website serves as the foundation for your brand’s online presence, so you want to get it right. Keep things clear and simple — your website should be a hub of easy-to-access information. You don’t want to be changing the content too often — that’s what blogs are for (and why you need one).FacebookThe next layer is your Facebook page. The content must differ to, but still complement, the content on your website. Use photographs to attract customers — not only are images the most commonly-shared type of post, but they provide fans with a visual representation of your company. Keep posts short and punchy.TwitterUse Twitter to lure customers to your blog using snippets, quotes and links. Regular fan communication is essential for small businesses, and even large companies should still make an effort to reply to comments and queries on Twitter.We’ve established that layering is good, but how much is too much?"Could I BE wearing any more clothes?"
If any of these sound familiar, you might want to scale back:

You’re finding it difficult to think of unique content for each platform

You cross-post everything

You forget about Google+ for weeks at a time, then panic-post a week’s worth of updates in ten minutes

You can’t name the unique function of each of your social media accounts

Luckily, there’s an easy fix. If your Pinterest and your Tumblr are essentially the same, drop the least popular. If you’re a local business, focus on the platforms your customers use (probably not Google+, which we'll talk about next week). It's better to do a couple of platforms well than a handful of them badly! And remember, we're always here if you need help.(Image and caption source: "Friends," Warner Bros., TM (c) 2006)